In a country with a severely restricted civic life, mosques were used to mobilize crowds and served as meeting points for antigovernment protesters, including non-Muslims.
Initially, converted mosques were used as churches, but Franciscans started to build a Baroque church in 1709 and it was consecrated in 1732.
The mosques are used mainly by supporters of the Zaidi Shia-led Houthi rebel movement, which controls Sana'a.
Mosques are used to assist the tablighi activities of individual jamaats that voluntarily undertake preaching missions.
"Some mosques are used exclusively to spread ideology," Adhe told me.
For years the domed structure between the Aya Sofia (Hagia Sophia) and the Blue Mosque was used as a state-run carpet shop.
Mr. Ali's father, identified by Dawn television as Ameer Ali, a retired army official, said the mosque was used mainly by army officers living nearby, although retired personnel could worship there if they were cleared by the intelligence services.
Completely surrounded by dependencies added as the mosque was used over time, the original structure was 280 feet in length and 227 feet wide, and comprised three arcades situated around a courtyard.
The government "re-converts church-mosques which were used as museums during the republican era so it is related to the domestic politics," he said.
The Israeli military said it targeted about 110 sites in Gaza on Wednesday, including at least five mosques it said were used by militants to conceal weapons, house tunnel shafts and serve as lookout posts.
